Teapot: C.1902 & A-1928

Maker(s)

Production: Schläfli Pottery (Possibly)

Entities

• Teapot
• Cover

Categories

• Lead-glazed earthenware
• Swiss slipware

Description

Red earthenware coated in white slip with incised plant decoration under yellow and brown lead-glazes, and the date and initials '1778 M S'

Pale red earthenware, thrown, with applied moulded handle and spout, coated with white slip, decorated with incising, and lead-glazed yellow with splashing in brown. The body of the pot is of a bulbous pear-shape with a short cylindrical neck, a sloping octagonal handle joined to the body by a pierced openwork band, and a scrolled handle. The circular slightly domed cover has a circular stepped knob, and a flange on the underside which fits inside the neck of the pot. The lower part of the pot is decorated with two bands of formal leaves with foliated scrolls between them. On the upper part there is a band of small joined scrolls, with below them on one side, the date and initials '1778 MS'. A band of smaller formal leaves encircls the neck.The sides and back of the handle are decorated with closelyset short horizontal lines, and the facets of the spout are striped. The cover has a circle of stylized leaves radiating from pairs of concentric circles around the knob and the outer edge has two sets of concentric circles. The details of the decoration are almost obscured by the brown splashes in the glaze.

Notes

History note: Mrs Born-Straub, Thun, from whom bought in September 1903 by Dr J.W.L. Glaisher, FRS, Trinity College, Cambridge

Legal notes

Dr J. W. L. Glaisher Bequest

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1928-12-07) by Glaisher, J. W. L., Dr

Dating

18th Century, Late
Production date: dated AD 1778

Note

Formerly attributed to Langnau. This teapot may have been made by the Schläfli pottery in Ablingen in the Schwarzenburg district on the border between the Cantons of Bern and Freiburg in Switzerland. The family 's pottery was working from about 1700 until 1842, making stove and domestic wares. However it is not certain that ware like this teapot (and a coffee pot C.1899-1928) which is known as 'Alblingen ware' was actually made there and not elsewhere in the region.